Impartial Advice on Laser Eye Surgery

[hindmoor]

Hi, I too am interested in Laser Eye surgery but notice a couple of comments regarding "old age"!! Am I too old or not suitable? I am 43, minus 8 in both eyes and so far have no problem with reading. I am interested in the flapless laser eye surgery called Relex Smile I think, because apparently there are less incidents of dry eye with it. I was going to go to St James in Leeds.

[968]

hindmoor said:

Hi, I too am interested in Laser Eye surgery but notice a couple of comments regarding "old age"!! Am I too old or not suitable? I am 43, minus 8 in both eyes and so far have no problem with reading. I am interested in the flapless laser eye surgery called Relex Smile I think, because apparently there are less incidents of dry eye with it. I was going to go to St James in Leeds.

Yes, in my view you are not a suitable age for laser refractive surgery but would be a good candidate to have lens replacement surgery with a multifocal lens which would solve both near and distance vision problems, permanently.

[DKL]

968 said:

Yes, in my view you are not a suitable age for laser refractive surgery but would be a good candidate to have lens replacement surgery with a multifocal lens which would solve both near and distance vision problems, permanently.

Single vision laser brings with it the inevitable optical issues but not insurmountable.
I'd advise caution with any multifocal procedure. Not something I'd advocate currently as there is almost always some residual refractive error, although I have had a couple recently with almost none. But not many.

[hindmoor]

Thank you 968 and DKL for your advice. You've given me food for thought. Does my age mean that if I had laser eye surgery to correct my myopia, I would need glasses for close work sooner than I would have if I didn't have the procedure? Have you heard of this Relex Smile procedure that St James in Leeds is doing? Is it safe etc?

I have worn contact lenses for over 30 years but my eyes are very dry now and find lenses very hard to tolerate and because my prescription is high at -8, glasses are very thick and uncomfortable so am desperate for another solution.

[968]

hindmoor said:

Thank you 968 and DKL for your advice. You've given me food for thought. Does my age mean that if I had laser eye surgery to correct my myopia, I would need glasses for close work sooner than I would have if I didn't have the procedure? Have you heard of this Relex Smile procedure that St James in Leeds is doing? Is it safe etc?

I have worn contact lenses for over 30 years but my eyes are very dry now and find lenses very hard to tolerate and because my prescription is high at -8, glasses are very thick and uncomfortable so am desperate for another solution.

Yes you probably will need glasses for near vision if you have Laser refractive surgery. Multifocal lenses have come a long way in a short while, and I doubt DKL has seen that many patients with the latest generation of multifocal lenses which are extremely sophisticated, mainly because not many surgeons are using the latest and best lenses. I, however, work both in the NHS and private practice, as a consultant surgeon, at a clinic in Harley street which routinely implants the latest generation of multifocal IOLs and the majority of patients are highly satisfied with excellent vision for both near and distance. I'd strongly advise against any laser refractive procedure in your age group, including the Relex Smile procedure and I'd hope that the clinic in Leeds would caution you also due to your impending presbyopia, which they will not be able to address. Contact lenses are probably not an option for you now, or in the long term.

[Supernova190188]

I've been wearing contacts for about 9 years, wore the extended wear ones that were never out for about 7-8 years , and last year went to wearing either dailies or 2 weekly lenses. I've booked a consultation on Sept 15th , they said to leave lenses out for a few days before, but just wondering as I've seen it says to leave extended wear lenses out a month before, will it make any difference that in changing from extended wear to 2 weekly or dailies to how long they need to be out for before a consultation as I went directly from one to the other.
I'm starting to wear dailies now for the 3 weeks before, and was going to leave contacts out around 6-7 days before consultation on 15th and if all goes well surgery on 18th.

[hindmoor]

Thanks 968 for more info, very interesting. I notice you are on Harley St...some research I did said that London Vision Clinic on Harley St does a procedure called Laser Blended Vision for older patients to allow them to see both near and far. Is this a good option for me? For some reason, I'm terrified at the thought of getting my actual eye lenses replaced in the IOL procedure you mentioned! It feels like a big operation, whereas, rightly or wrongly, I feel with the Relex Smile procedure that only a tiny part of your cornea is cut. You mentioned to another member that they would need cataract surgery in the future - do all laser eye patients automatically get cataracts?

[968]

hindmoor said:

Thanks 968 for more info, very interesting. I notice you are on Harley St...some research I did said that London Vision Clinic on Harley St does a procedure called Laser Blended Vision for older patients to allow them to see both near and far. Is this a good option for me? For some reason, I'm terrified at the thought of getting my actual eye lenses replaced in the IOL procedure you mentioned! It feels like a big operation, whereas, rightly or wrongly, I feel with the Relex Smile procedure that only a tiny part of your cornea is cut. You mentioned to another member that they would need cataract surgery in the future - do all laser eye patients automatically get cataracts?

Everyone gets cataracts. It's an inevitability of getting older and having corneal surgery makes the outcome of cataract surgery much less predictable. The risk from lens replacement surgery is the same or less than laser refractive surgery.

[Nads111]

Hi 968 I have just sent you an email regarding laser eye surgeons in Sheffield and a specific condition I have and how that may effect laser surgery. I'd be grateful if you could find time to respond. I am an old member but can't remember my login or what email I used to register as I've not been on here for ages bit just came back to find the laser surgery thread.

[boxst]

I had laser eye surgery about 10 years ago, and my right eye has deteriorated to the state where I will either need glasses or have it done again. It was not 100% after the surgery as I have astigmatism in that eye. My left eye remains perfect for both near and far objects / reading.

I would still recommend surgery as I really disliked wearing glasses and hated waking up in the night and not being able to see the clock across the room (stupid little things really).

Not sure if I can have it done again, and if the procedure has got better in the last 10 years. The replacement lens is interesting, and just read about it here: http://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/refrac... . I'm a bit of a wuss, so not sure that I could cope with that procedure!

[hindmoor]

If I'm too old for laser, what about these Ortho K lenses? Are they any good?

[968]

hindmoor said:

If I'm too old for laser, what about these Ortho K lenses? Are they any good?

Very controversial. Probably not a permanent option, but possibly a temporary one. Of course, with risks.

[BlackST]

If I am 25 and have -5.00 vision in both eyes, can my eye sight get worse?
Currently wear contacts and glasses.
Can not see a thing when lenses aren't in/ not wearing glasses.

[DKL]

968 said:

Very controversial. Probably not a permanent option, but possibly a temporary one. Of course, with risks.

Odd you'd call it controversial. I heard it called lots of things but not that. Its been around since the ancient chinese.
Its not very popular over here but far more so in the US. In the right skilled hands, for the right patient (like anything)it works well.
There is a uk orthok society who would be able to give info if you were interested.

[968]

DKL said:

Odd you'd call it controversial. I heard it called lots of things but not that. Its been around since the ancient chinese.
Its not very popular over here but far more so in the US. In the right skilled hands, for the right patient (like anything)it works well.
There is a uk orthok society who would be able to give info if you were interested.

Not at all. It's controversial because it's not a permanent option and the risks of extended wearing of a lens behind a closed lid increases the risk of ischaemic corneal damage from the contact lens.

Couching has been around since the ancient chinese and beyond, that doesn't mean it's a good treatment option.

There are plenty of refractive options for patients now, both surgical and non-surgical depending on their attitude to risk and the requirements of their vision.

[968]

BlackST said:

If I am 25 and have -5.00 vision in both eyes, can my eye sight get worse?
Currently wear contacts and glasses.
Can not see a thing when lenses aren't in/ not wearing glasses.

Your refraction will probably stabilise around now, so probably won't get much worse, though there can be minor changes. -5 is a substantial prescription so without corrective lenses or glasses you won't be able to see much at all.

[SSC!]

I keep coming back to these threads as I am also in the beginning stages of considering it although the squeamish side of me stops me lol.

What would be the options for a 42yr old with +5.50 and +4.75 toric lenses? Up in Inverness with just optical express here.

[968]

SSC! said:

I keep coming back to these threads as I am also in the beginning stages of considering it although the squeamish side of me stops me lol.

What would be the options for a 42yr old with +5.50 and +4.75 toric lenses? Up in Inverness with just optical express here.

I wouldn't recommend laser refractive surgery in your case, you're better off with lens replacement surgery, perhaps with a toric intraocular lens or a light adjustable depending on your astigmatism. I don't know anywhere in Inverness that offers this, but certainly in London and the NW England, I can recommend places.

[hindmoor]

Thanks to 968 for advice regarding my age etc for laser eye surgery. I did go for a consultation to St James Laser Vision in Leeds but was told I am unsuitable due to having the beginnings of a cataract in my left eye. Which 968 did mention! Although I am only 43, I am -8 in both eyes and the consultant said people with high myopia often get cataracts at an early age. So as 968 said in an earlier message, it appears my only option is IOL. However, do I have to wait until the cataract is fully developed before having IOL? Would I get IOL in both eyes or just in the left with normal refractive surgery in the right? Am I allowed to ask 968 where he works and if it's possible to have an appointment? I was in London on Saturday..

[Lord Pikey]

I posted in the original thread. It was 6 years ago i think.

Anyway, 6 years later my eyes are still great. Well worth the money.